Caitlin Clark Injury Update: Is Clark Playing Tonight vs. Sparks?

The Indiana Fever are right in the middle of playoff contention in the WNBA, holding first place in the Eastern Conference. The good news is that Indiana is likely to get its star guard Caitlin Clark back for the Wednesday, July 8, matchup against the Sparks. Tonight's game tips off at 10:00 p.m. ET and can be viewed on the USA Network.

Clark is set to return after suffering a back injury against the Mercury on June 24. As a result, she has missed the Fever’s last two games.

Below, we'll break down the latest on Caitlin Clark injury update, her outlook for tonight’s game, and who to target on PrizePicks for Fever vs. Sparks picks.

Make your Fever vs. Sparks picks on PrizePicks for tonight's game!

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Caitlin Clark Injury Update: Latest News, Timeline Ahead of Fever vs. Sparks

There is optimism that Clark could return to the court tonight. She is officially listed as probable for Wednesday’s game against the Sparks after suffering a back injury on June 24 against the Mercury, according to the WNBA’s official injury report. 

Clark's back was aggravated in the same game when she fell to the floor vs. Phoenix, and then Mercury F Alyssa Thomas hit her in the throat. She stayed in the game and later left in the third quarter, aggravating a previous back injury that has lingered throughout the season.

Indiana's lead guard has not played in the last two games. However, the Fever have dominated without their star guard. They earned a 111-87 win over the Sparks and an 84-68 win over the reigning champion Aces. Each game was against thin rosters, though, as the Sparks were without star G Kelsey Plum, and the Aces were missing their four-time MVP C A’ja Wilson.

Clark recently said in an interview during the Fever’s July 7 practice that she’s “feeling great” and is optimistic about playing on Wednesday, with a possible minutes restriction. Indiana will play on back-to-back days: Wednesday, July 8, against the Sparks and Thursday, July 9, in their first matchup against the Mercury since the incident.

She remains one of the more important players in the WNBA, moving the needle, introducing new fans to the league, and producing high-level play. But that's also led to opposing players potentially holding a grudge against the former No. 1 pick.

UConn head coach and Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma recently said he believes some players have “personal animosities” against Clark. That's an interesting quote following the incident with Thomas, who played for Auriemma at UConn. 

With that said, it’s understandable that the Fever are cautious about rushing Clark back into the lineup. She does have a history of injuries, including missing 31 games last season.

Clark ranks fourth in the league with 21.2 points per game and second with 8.2 assists per contest. According to PrizePicks Team Picks, she's tied for the third-shortest payout to capture the WNBA MVP (9.09x).

There's still a chance Clark is limited tonight. How could that impact player projections for Fever vs. Sparks picks for PrizePicks?

What Fever Players to Target on PrizePicks if Clark Is Limited?

Here's a look at some of Clark’s projections tonight against the Sparks, via PrizePicks.

• 16.5 Points
• 2.5 Rebounds (Goblin)
• 6.5 Assists
• 27 Pts+Rebs+Asts

The caution going into this matchup is how much Clark will play in her return. In her interview during practice on Tuesday, she mentioned the possibility of a minutes restriction. With the Fever in playoff contention, they may want to ease her back into the lineup to prevent another injury.

With Clark out in the last two games, G Kelsey Mitchell has leapfrogged her as the team’s top scorer, averaging 21.9 points per game. She's been the Fever’s leading scorer in the last two games, scoring 27 points against the Aces and 26 against tonight’s opponent, the Sparks.

Center Aliyah Boston is another piece to watch, as she's one of the top frontcourt players in the league, averaging 17.1 points (16th) and 8.6 rebounds per game (ninth). She’s coming off an 18-point, 10-rebound performance against the Aces and previously had 17 points and 7 rebounds in just 21 minutes against the Sparks.

Here are the Fever players who may benefit most on PrizePicks if Clark is limited tonight, paired with each player's stat projections vs. the Sparks.

• G Kelsey Mitchell vs. Sparks: 23.5 Points / 31.5 Fantasy Score / 8 Field Goals Made
• C Aliyah Boston vs. Sparks: 17.5 Points / 35.5 Fantasy Score / 8.5 Rebounds

Pick More or Less on Fever player stats on PrizePicks now before 10:00 p.m. ET tip.

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Make Fever vs. Sparks Picks on PrizePicks

While the Fever have won back-to-back games without Clark, her return to the court is still highly anticipated. Indiana is taking on the Sparks, whom they recently defeated. Similar to the previous bout, Los Angeles will be without its star guard, Kelsey Plum (leg).

Don't wait until tip-off — make your Fever vs. Sparks picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you're right.

Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.

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